Chapter 132: Noble aura? This kitty can’t keep making this up anymore—you all have to buy it!

Valian’s face twitched.

Making him a shill?

And to use a price ten times higher than market value?

To buy back those things he had sent out, things that couldn’t see the light of day?

He felt his face was being trampled underfoot.

“My lord… you’re not joking, are you?”

His voice trembled, the fat on his face quivering.

“Joking? Meow?”

Lilia’s face turned cold.

She pulled out that pitch-black token and waved it in front of Valian.

The Demon King’s aura washed over him, and Valian’s heart skipped a beat.

“Do I look like I’m joking? Meow?”

Draku’s fate, the Viscount’s estate razed to the ground, flashed through his mind.

He understood.

This little lunatic wasn’t negotiating; it was an order!

Valian’s fist clenched tight inside his sleeve, nails digging into his palm.

He was a Duke! He had operated in the Demon Capital for centuries! When had he ever suffered such humiliation!

“What? Is Duke Valian unwilling? Meow?”

Lilia tilted her head, her heterochromatic eyes full of amusement.

“It’s fine if you’re unwilling. After all, His Majesty’s intelligence network has plenty more ‘interesting stories’ about you.”

“I think the citizens of the Demon Capital would be very interested to hear how their Duke usually ‘serves the people,’ meow.”

This was a threat!

Valian’s body shuddered.

He had no choice.

He took a deep breath and squeezed the words out from between his teeth.

“…As you command, Lady Lilia.”

His head bowed deeply.

“That’s more like it! Meow!”

Lilia patted his shoulder satisfactorily, her smile so wide her eyes turned into crescents.

“Duke Valian is indeed wise and reasonable! This lady will put in a good word for you before His Majesty!”

After saying that, she took the “Siren’s Tear” out of the brocade box.

She stuffed it into her own pocket, then shoved the empty brocade box back into Valian’s hand.

“Alright, you can scram now, meow.”

She waved her little hand.

“I’ll be waiting for your performance on the day of the auction.”

Valian’s body froze in place, his lungs about to burst with anger.

But he could only endure it, bowing and backing out of the room step by step.

Each step trampled on his own dignity.

Watching Valian’s dejected retreating figure, Lilia’s heart was bursting with joy.

Awesome!

So awesome!

The feeling of trampling an enemy underfoot was even better than eating ten plates of dried fish!

“Lilith, what expression do you think that perverted Demon King will have when he sees this? Meow?”

She turned back excitedly.

Lilith remained expressionless.

“His Majesty should be very satisfied.”

—

Three days later, the Eternal Feast Great Hall.

The hall today was even livelier than last time.

Almost all the nobles of any standing in the Demon Capital had arrived.

They were all dressed in splendid formal attire.

But their faces wore expressions like they had seen a ghost.

The low murmur of conversation was tinged with despair.

At the front of the hall, a tall auction platform had been temporarily erected.

In the center of the platform stood an even more exaggerated, massive chair than last time, draped in purple velvet.

Lilia sat in this chair.

Today, she wore a red and black Lolita-style dress.

A large bow adorned her head.

Her two little legs, clad in white stockings, swung back and forth in the air.

In her hand, she held a small hammer made of magic crystal, tapping it idly against the table in front of her.

Lilith stood beside her, holding a thick inventory list.

Thud!

Lilia picked up the small hammer and struck the table heavily.

The entire hall fell silent instantly.

The gazes of all the nobles were nailed to her.

Those looks contained anger, resentment, fear, and a hint of schadenfreude.

“Ahem!” Lilia began, imitating an auctioneer.

“Welcome, everyone, to this ‘Royal Confiscated Goods Charity Auction’ personally hosted by me, Lady Lilia! Meow!”

Her voice was both childish and sharp, making the nobles below grit their teeth.

“All proceeds from this auction will be used for the city’s construction in the Demon Capital!”

“So, I hope everyone will bid enthusiastically and contribute your share of ‘love’ for the Empire and His Majesty! Meow!”

After speaking, she even flashed a sweet smile at the audience below.

The nobles below all had faces ashen with rage.

They wished they could rush up and tear her apart on the spot.

Lilia paid them no mind.

She glanced at the list.

“Next, let’s bring out the first lot of the day! Meow!”

As her words fell, two City Guard soldiers carried up a tray covered with a red cloth.

Everyone’s hearts leaped into their throats.

They didn’t know whose “treasure” this little lunatic would bring out first.

Lilia yanked off the red cloth.

On the tray lay quietly… a golden, ornately shaped… chamber pot.

Hiss—

A collective gasp echoed through the hall, followed by dead silence.

All the nobles were dumbfounded.

A chamber pot?

She was actually auctioning a chamber pot?!

Who was she trying to insult?!

Lilia ignored their expressions and began her introduction.

“Everyone, look! This lot has a grand origin! It is the ‘Royal Golden Chamber Pot’ personally used by Viscount Draku!”

“Made of pure gold, inlaid with three luminous pearls from the deep sea!”

“Most importantly, it is imbued with the Viscount’s purest ‘noble essence’ from the first light of dawn each day!”

“Using it… uh… to water plants would make them grow faster than anyone else’s! Meow!”

She was almost unable to continue her own fabrication.

The nobles below were all flushed red, holding back.

A few of the younger ones couldn’t help but bury their heads in their arms, shoulders shaking violently.

Draku’s in-laws looked deathly pale, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

“Alright, enough talk!”

Lilia raised her small hammer.

“This golden chamber pot, full of ‘noble essence,’ has a starting bid of one thousand magic crystal coins!”

“Minimum increment of one hundred! Now, let the bidding begin! Meow!”

The entire hall was so quiet you could hear each other’s heartbeats.

One thousand magic crystal coins?

For a chamber pot?

Who would buy such a thing!

Everyone’s gaze.

Fell upon Duke Valian, sitting in the front row with a livid face.

They were all waiting to see the show.

Valian, feeling the surrounding gazes, knew he had to make a move.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, then tremblingly raised his hand.

“O-one… ten thousand magic crystal coins.”

His voice sounded like it was squeezed from between his teeth.

A wave of exclamations swept through the hall!

Ten times!

A full ten times!

Lilia’s eyes instantly lit up.

Her small hammer came down with a heavy thud!

“Ten thousand magic crystal coins, once! Is there anyone…”